Of the Two Thousand
by Erika Austin
Summary: LDS historical fiction about the Stripling Warriors. Rated PG for war-related violence.


PROLOGUE

Author's notes: I hope I have gotten all the historical parts correct.This is just a "fan fic", and it should NOT be taken as scripture.Please review, and don't flame badly. . .constructive criticism is fine.

DISCLAIMER: Okay, for those of you who have read the Book of Mormon, you should know which characters in the story are actually characters, and those who really did leave.Those fictional characters are © me, Erika Austin.If you have a question on who is fictional and who isn't, e-mail me, and I will tell you.Anything that non-fictional people say in my story they most-likely didn't actually say when they were alive, so don't think as such, and go telling everyone that Heleman said this, or Alma thinks that.Thanks, and enjoy.

PROLOGUE

Rantiol looked down at the huge hole in the ground.Already there were weapons inside, glittering in the dim light of the evening.He couldn't spot his bow and the quiver that he had already cast down into the pit.A breeze blew, and he felt his wife, Sinala, wrap her shawl tighter around her shoulders. She had already thrown her dagger down into the pit, and she was gazing intently down there as well as Rantiol, lost in thought.He held up his sword, letting it shine in the light, the words engraved glinting and flashing.They were in Lamanite, saying "This, wielded, will bring victory." 

Looking at it one last time, Rantiol held it over the gaping hole, and opened his fingers.The sword fell and landed with a small clang, lost to sight in the darkening dusk._This symbolizes my old life, _he thought._I am no longer Lamanite.I am an Ammonite.I am Anti-Nephi-Lehii.I no longer will fight._Something inside his heart swelled with happiness.Though he might feel a bit of regret for getting rid of the sword his father gave him, he knew he was doing what was right.He smiled slightly as he thought of his life to come, and how lucky he was.

"Let us pray, and vow to the Lord, Sinala."He said softly.The breeze picked up as he took her hand and they both knelt down.He watched her bow her head and closer her eyes, then he did the same.

"O Lord, we bow our heads to thee in prayer.We thank thee and thy goodness towards us.We thank thee for showing us the light, and how we should live our lives.We vow to you now, oh Lord, that never again will we take up weapons of war to use against our fellow man.In the name of thine son and Only Begotten, Amen."

"Amen." Repeated Sinala.They both rose.Sinala beamed happily at Rantiol.Without another word, or another glance down the hole and at there past, they turned away, and went home, with a new purpose and reason in life.They were Ammonites.

~~|~~CAPTER ONE~~|~~

_"And now, it came to pass that the armies of the Lamanites. . .while in the absence of Moroni. . .had obtained possession of a number of (Nephite) cities in that part of the land." _

Alma 53:8

They had never come across a problem quite like this before.Tanion scratched his head thoughtfully, and looked at Shintak.Shintak returned the glance, and shrugged.They both returned their gaze to the lone sheep, which had started struggling and bleating again.Both young men looked back at each other, and suddenly burst out laughing.

"What do you make of it?" Shintak asked between chuckles.

"A really stupid, or curious animal.Or both, for that matter." Tanion answered, eyeing the stuck creature."I think he tried to go _through _the hole, but he's too fat."And indeed, that was what happened.The two boys were standing on a low hill, which was crowned by an old stone wall, about three feet high.They had taken Tanion's family's flock of sheep out to graze in the fields below the hill.Right as they reached the fields, one of the younger rams bolted away, bleating on the top of its lungs.This wasn't the first time this ram had made a break for it under the boys' watch, so Tanion and Shintak hadn't been too worried.They made sure that all of the other sheep were peacefully munching on long shoots of grass before they went after the run-away sheep, which had stopped bleating and must have been trying out stealth mode.Sadly enough (for the sheep, that is), he had run to the top of the hill, and found the low wall, coming across a hole not much larger then five inches at the diameter.The ram had somehow managed to squeeze his head, front legs, and half of his body through that little hole in the wall, but could get no farther.He was stuck, couldn't go forward, and couldn't go back, so he did the only thing a sheep knows how to do.He began kicking and shrieking in attempt to get out, as if crying out like that was going to make the wall let go of him.The two Ammonite boys found him like that moments later.

Tanion bit his tongue, trying to keep from laughing at this comical sight.Bending down, he placed both strong hands on the sides of his sheep, and tried to gently ease the creature out of the wall.The ram, sensing his master was trying to help, stopped struggling.Shintak quickly got on the other side of the trapped animal, reached over the wall, and attempted to help by pushing.Their efforts were in vain, and the sheep didn't budge.No amount of tugging, pushing, wedging, or wiggling would free the poor beast.Tanion and Shintak stepped back again to study the situation once more.The ram, thinking it was being abandoned, began to struggle again, it's hooves flailing every which way, digging into the grass, cutting through the air, and scrabbling against the imprisoning wall.One very desperate kick connected solidly with the wall, and a shard of rock broke off, hitting the grass-padded ground with a muffled thud.

"That's it!" cried Tanion after looking at the rock for a second."Give me your hunting knife, Shintak."Shintak took his hunting knife out of his belt and handed it to his friend as the both returned to the sheep's side.Putting a hand on the sheep's back to still it, Tanion struck the stone hard with the knife.As he had predicted, the stone was soft and weak, and another bit of rock fell to the ground.Shifting his weight, Tanion hit the wall as close to the sheep's side as he could again and again, causing more rock to fall.Finally, the whole was widened enough that Tanion was able to gently pull the sheep free.He set the shaken ram back on it's feet, and with a bleat of relief, it ran off to rejoin his flock.


End file.
